TITLE: Evaluating

AUTHOR: Micky Fine

DISCLAIMER: We all know it but I'll say it anyway, I don't own the characters and I'm definitely not making any profit from my playtime.

SPOILERS: Eleven Angry Jurors and Butterflied

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This idea came after Eleven Angry Jurors but I didn't have time to write this until after Butterflied and since I liked that episode so much I decided to include it in here too. More parts will probably be forthcoming.

Reviews always welcome.

On her way to the break room to pick up her assignment for the day, Catherine was pulled to the side of the hall by Nick.

"Cat, what on earth happened while I was gone?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's just that since I came back Sara's looked totally shell-shocked..." he paused as Sara walked by. Catherine noted that Nick's description was accurate.

"...And Grissom has been brooding," he finished as Grissom also walked by, obviously in deep thought.

"I'm not sure," Catherine started, "but I think it's most likely the Debbie Marlin case that's thrown those two off."

"The Debbie Marlin case? The one you guys worked while I was gone? What's the big deal about it?"

"Let's just say that if you didn't know better you could swear that the body was Sara's."

"Really?"

"I swear she was nearly the spitting-image. Grissom was obsessed with the case and he couldn't stop working it. And Sara...Grissom tried to keep Sara from spending too much time with the body but she had to do some toe prints. After that, Sara hasn't quite been the same. I think she looked at the victim's face and seeing an almost mirror image of your face in the morgue cannot be good for anyone."

Nick nodded. He was about to ask about the case some more when Grissom stuck his head out of the break room.

"Are you guys planning on joining us soon?"

Nick and Catherine quickly scooted into the room and sat down.

Nick noted that Sara had sat where she was just out of Grissom's eye line, on the same side of the table with Warrick between them. She was seemingly engrossed in a file but when Grissom cleared his throat, she quickly slammed it shut.

"Alright, Warrick and Catherine, you two can take the DB found in the swimming pool at Caesar's," Grissom began, sliding the folder over to Catherine, who glanced at it quickly and then passed it to Warrick.

"Nick, you and I are working an attempted robbery at the bank on Lafayette Road and Sara..."

"Um, Grissom, I have some paperwork to do, so unless there's a really pressing case..."

"Actually, Sara, I don't have a case for you to work tonight, so you get to hold down the fort. Get Greg to help you out with some of your paperwork. He needs to know that being a field worker isn't all play."

Sara nodded.

"Ok, that's it everyone," Grissom said, pulling his papers together.

As everyone stood and started to leave the room, Grissom's voice suddenly rang out above the slight noise, "Nick and Sara, I want to see you two in my office for a few minutes."

Both of them nodded in acquiescence before Grissom left the room, which had suddenly been plagued with dead silence. Everyone knew what this meant. Grissom had finally decided who would get the promotion. Both Warrick and Catherine stared at the other two until Sara heaved a big sigh and walked out. Nick quickly scurried after her.

"I would so love to be one of Grissom's bugs right now," Catherine commented.

Warrick smirked and then left the room, with Catherine trailing behind.

Taking a deep breath to soothe her nerves, Sara walked into Grissom's office with Nick just behind her. She had been avoiding this room and the man behind the desk for several days now and it was somewhat disconcerting to be just where she didn't want to be. Grissom stood and closed the door after they had entered and gestured for them to sit in the two chairs opposite his desk.

"I'm sure you both know what this is about," he paused as they both nodded, "and before I tell you who received the promotion I want you both to know that I gave careful consideration to this decision. I had to do a great deal of evaluating of both your skills in the field and your skills with suspects, victims and other people associated with the case."

Nick felt his insides clench.

"I also want you both to know, that you are wonderful CSI's and you both are very deserving of this promotion. However, after much deliberation and with Cavello's consent I have decided...to give Nick the promotion."

As soon as Grissom uttered his decision, both men turned to look at Sara. Nick unable to feel any joy at his victory quite yet. Sara's face was unreadable for a moment as the information sunk in. Then a large smile split her face as she jumped up and gave Nick a hug.

"Congratulations," she murmured in his ear.

Nick felt relief welling up in his gut and he finally let his smile break out. After Sara let go, he shook Grissom's hand firmly.

"Thank you so much," he said with great delight.

"You're welcome, you deserve it," Grissom replied.

Nick stood for a moment as if he was unsure what exactly he was supposed to do now.

"Nick," Grissom said, "why don't you go tell everyone and I'll meet you out front in fifteen minutes."

"Great," Nick said, practically bouncing out of Grissom's office.

Sara made as if to follow him out but when she arrived at the door, she closed it instead of exiting.

"Grissom," she said quietly, "we need to talk."

Grissom noted that the joy that had been obvious before was no longer there.  He also noticed that she didn't turn to look at him, but spoke to the door instead.

"I..." she began.

"Sara, I want you to know that our personal relationship had absolutely nothing to do with my decision," Grissom interrupted, talking to Sara's back, hoping that she'd turn around.

She didn't, instead she continued talking to the door.

"I know. You're too professional to let anything like that influence your decision," there was no tone of mockery in her voice and Grissom knew she was speaking the absolute truth.

"So what do you want to talk about then?" Grissom asked.

At this question, Sara finally turned to look at him, "I'd like to request a leave of absence."

Somewhere in the base of his brain Grissom felt a sudden overwhelming fear that Sara was leaving and would never come back.

"Sara, are you really sure..."

"I'm not leaving forever," she interrupted, "it's just that right now I need some time to...evaluate everything."

"How long would you be gone?"

"I think a month would be good."

Despite his mental protest his mouth managed to say, "And when would you be leaving?"

"Well, today's Wednesday so I'll probably want to be ready to leave by Friday after work."

Grissom nodded in defeat, "Have the paperwork on my desk by the end of the day and I'll sign it."

"Thanks Grissom," she said, but Grissom noted that there was no joy in her voice, or relief. In fact, her voice was flat and as Grissom looked into her eyes he saw a hollow, haunting look that reflected a soul full of conflict.

As she got up to leave his office, she turned, "Oh Griss?"

"Yeah?"

"Please don't tell anyone I'm leaving until after I'm gone. I don't want to have to deal with all of that."

"Sure."